Home is a Fire
by intheinkpot
Summary: Red goes with Regina when she decides to tell her mother about the wedding. It doesn't go well. - "Don't tell Emma." - Swan Queen Emma/Regina
1. I

"Don't tell Emma."

Regina's tone, usually clipped and demanding but now with a hint of fear, made Red drag her eyes away from the large ornate double doors in front of them. Regina's expression gave nothing away. Her eyes, though, gave away more than either Red or Emma would ever tell her (in part because Emma made her promise never to tell another soul as she whispered the secret to reading Regina's emotions). Red had no intention of ever telling Regina about just how expressive her eyes could be because, for one, Emma would kill her, and for another, Red could still remember being Ruby and the futility of trying to read the emotions of Mayor Mills.

Red couldn't figure out why she wasn't with them (Emma was marrying Regina after all, not her), but she saw a glimmer of fear in Regina's eyes. A thrill of terror shot up her spine at the thought that Emma wasn't with them because Regina felt she had to protect Emma. She glanced up at the full moon. If _Regina_, former Evil Queen, was afraid of her mother than, of course, who better to bring along on a full moon night than a werewolf?

Realizing she'd been silent for too long, Red reached out and trailed her fingers along Regina's arm hesitantly. "I promise I won't tell Emma." Regina's eyes darted to Red's fingers, and Red wrapped her hand around Regina's upper arm and gave it a reassuring squeeze - or at least, she hoped it was reassuring; her stomach lurched again at the flash of fear in Regina's eyes, and she might have squeezed too hard to be comforting. "It'll be fine. What's the worst she could do? Tell you that you can't marry Emma?" Red smiled to lighten the mood, but it vanished the next instant.

Tears glimmered in Regina's eyes. Her hand darted to her necklace: a ring on a chain. Red couldn't remember ever seeing Regina without it since a few months after Regina and Emma had started dating in Storybrooke, and she remembered Ruby - no, _she_ remembered _as _Ruby - wondering once who had given her that ring (Emma said it wasn't her), and now she recognized it as an engagement ring from this world.

Eyes widening, she asked, "Who - " She paused, took a deep breath and tried again in a calmer voice, "I've always wondered...who gave you that ring, Regina?" She rubbed a thumb along Regina's arm, concentrating hard on the feeling of Regina's silk shirt. "It's beautiful."

Without answering, Regina pulled away from Red's grasp and threw open the double doors in front of them. They found themselves in a large dining room, and Regina strode towards the other end, brisk and regal and every inch the Evil Queen Red remembered - the Evil Queen that Red had only caught glimpses of since Emma and Regina got together. Red jogged a step to catch up with her. Seeing Regina pull down the hood from her cloak, Red moved to do the same, hesitated, dropped her hand and then lifted it again. She felt a tug on the back of her cloak, and the hood slipped off.

Regina leaned close for a moment, her hand dropping from the back of Red's cloak and slipping into Red's hand for a brief moment in what Red assumed Regina meant to be a comforting gesture. "Don't respond if she mentions the cloaks. She's bound to take offense for not removing them. Let me handle it."

Red gave her a slight nod. They passed the long table, drawing closer to the other end of the room where a large fireplace crackled away and a woman dressed in black sat watching them in one of four leather chairs. Her gaze bore into Red. She looked away, drawing her eyes along the wall of windows to their right. Regina's hand bumped against hers. Red tore her gaze away from the perfect view of the full moon and back to the woman rising from the chair.

"Regina, darling, it's been too long." The woman, Cora, had dark hair and eyes just like Regina but even though Red could see they were related, she couldn't bring herself to believe this woman was Regina's mother. She wasn't sure why until Cora turned to Red, a polite smile on her face and then she realized it: there is no warmth in Cora's eyes, none at all, even when she had looked at Regina. No matter how angry Granny ever got with Red, here or in Storybrooke, Red knew that Granny loved her; Red saw no love in Cora. "I see you've brought company? Why don't you introduce us, dear?"

Regina shifted closer to Red and said, "This is Red, Mother. She's a good friend of Queen Snow White and Princess Emma."

Red blinked, startled that Regina would bring up Snow (or Emma, for that matter, since Regina had been adamant that Emma know nothing about Regina going to see her mother). Then Cora's smile got a bit more polite, and she said, "It's a pleasure to meet you," and Red realized that Regina had just put her under the protection of the Queen - and implied that she had far more status than she did. Red bit her lip. Regina couldn't expect this to go well if she had already begun this kind of maneuvering.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well," Red said, then continued, "I've heard a lot about you." It seemed like the polite thing to say, but Red prayed that Cora couldn't tell she lied through her teeth.

Cora's smile became forced. "All good things, I hope." She turned to Regina as she said this, and Red clenched her fists and suppressed a violent shiver.

"Of course," Regina said at the same time Red said, "Certainly."

Cora turned to gaze back to Red. "Well, why don't we have a seat? My servants could take your cloaks."

"There's no need for that, Mother," Regina said, sitting down and smoothing out her cloak. "We won't be staying long." Red sat down in the chair beside Regina's, resting her hands on her knees.

Cora's gaze moved from Regina to Red and then back to Regina before she sat down, smoothing out the creases her dress. "Very well. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"I'm engaged to be married," Regina said. A stilted and too formal way of saying _I'm getting married _for Red's taste, but Red wondered if Cora handled this language better. Maybe she thought it made her sound more sophisticated or something.

Cora's eyes narrowed. "Please, dear, don't tell me you're planning to run away with a stable boy again."

Red's eyes widened. She followed Cora's gaze to rest on the ring Regina wore around her neck.

"His name was Daniel, and he was a good man," Regina said, her voice colder than ice. "I loved him."

Cora sighed. "You only think you did, dear. You were happy with King Leopold. He was a much better match for you. You were Queen."

"I _know _I did, and I hated King Leopold. Only you were happy."

Red frowned. She reached out and brushed her finger tips against the back of Regina's hand. Both her hands gripped her knees. She loosened their hold at Red's touch, and she took a deep calming breath. Red hesitated, unsure if she should remove her hand. She did. Cora would not appreciate Red holding her daughter's hand.

"You're being ridiculous, you silly girl," Cora snapped. "I did what was best for you. You became a _Queen_. If I had not stepped in, you would have run off with that _boy _and ruined your life."

"I should have let Snow White die on that horse," Regina snarled. Red jumped and recoiled. Regina glared Cora, every inch the Evil Queen and then some, and Red could never remember seeing Regina so murderous. "Then Daniel would still be alive."

Cora scowled. "If you had been grateful, he would still be alive."

"Don't you dare." Regina rose to her feet. Red grabbed for her hand, but Regina pulled it away. "_You_ were the one who ripped out his heart. _You _were the one who killed him in front of me."

Red's jaw dropped. Bile threatened to rose in her throat, and she croaked, "Ladies?" Both Cora and Regina turned to stare at her, looking as though they had forgotten she was there. "Regina just came to inform you she's getting married." Red got to her feet, unsure whether her legs would support her now that images of Regina screaming while her mother plunged her hand into a man's chest swirled around in her head. _Well, at least that answers the question of where she learned the heart trick._"She's done that. I think we should leave now." She paused. "Snow's waiting for us."

"Of course," Regina said. For the first time, Red was grateful for the mask Regina had perfected; Cora didn't need to know that no one was waiting for them, that no one knew where they were. Regina headed for the door, and Red matched her step for step.

"Who are you marrying, Regina?"

Red didn't falter at the sound of Cora's voice, but a few steps later, she realized Regina had stopped. She turned. Regina stared at her mother, taking deep even breathes, and said, "Princess Emma."

Red didn't expect Cora to laugh. "Don't be stubborn, girl. Who is it really?"

"Princess Emma," Regina said with an edge to her voice.

"It's true," Red said, hoping Cora would accept it, and that she and Regina could get as far away from this mansion as possible.

Cora frowned. "You can't. It's against the laws."

"The laws have been changed, Mother," Regina said, standing taller. "Better ideas have been brought back."

_Besides, like Snow and Charming of all people would stand in the way of true love,_Red thought (and perhaps she imagined the way that Regina's lips press together as though to hold back her thoughts). She pressed to her lips into a thin line, mimicking Regina, because with the way Cora stared at them, Red knew any talk of true love would end in disaster.

Regina continued with a hint of sneer. "Besides, I'll be a Queen again. Isn't that what you've always wanted, Mother?"

Cora wore the most interesting facial expression. Red couldn't decide if she looked like she'd swallowed a bug or if she looked like she was about to get hit by a bus.

"You can't produce an heir. What do you plan to do then?"

"We have a son," Regina said. Cora's eyebrows rose. For a moment, Red thought Regina might elaborate, but she said nothing.

"What's his name?" Cora asked.

"Henry."

Cora scoffed. "Henry? Such a common name, Regina, and far too sentimental."

"Regina?" Red rested her hand against Regina's arm. "We should go." Regina nodded.

"When is the...wedding?" Cora's lips twitched downward.

"This summer."

Cora frowned. "Summer is nearly here. Surely you haven't waited this long to get fitted for a dress?"

Red's breath caught in her throat; they were in danger, she could sense it. She grabbed Regina's hand. "We need to go _now_," she muttered.

"Of course not," Regina said. "The dress had already been made."

"Why are you only telling me now? I'm your _mother_." Cora stalked towards them, and Red took a step forward. She didn't shield Regina, didn't think Regina would appreciate that, but somehow the knowledge that she stood between Cora and Regina comforted her as the air became heavy with magic. "I should have been there. I should have-" Cora stopped short, eyes darting to Red who took a small step to the side, half-shielding Regina now. "You weren't planning on inviting me, were you? This was just a...a formality for you."

"Of course, Mother," Regina said. Her voice was cold, but there was a tremor to it now. Red couldn't blame her: Cora looked ready to rip both their hearts out. Without thinking, Red grabbed a fistful of her cloak in her hand, ready to yank it off at a moment's notice. The wolf would be facing Cora, giving Regina time to realize what happened and make her escape.

The next thing Red knew, she crashed into a wall, and she heard Regina shout. Regina slammed against one of the windows, cracking the glass.

"You ungrateful, insolent little _bitch_." Cora stalked towards Regina, one hand raised. Magic crackled like electricity around her hand. Regina stared up at her. She gingerly touched the back of her head, and Red saw the blood smeared against the glass.

She ripped off the cloak and lunged.

. . .

Regina stared at the blood on her fingers, dazed, and a scream rose in her throat. Her mother would finally kill her, and she never told Emma or Henry goodbye. Emma didn't know where she was. Would they think she left? Just ran away? How could she be so stupid?

A snarl ripped through the air. Before Regina could process what happened, a huge wolf sunk its teeth into Cora's arm. Cora shrieked. A blast of magic rattled the windows, sending the wolf flying away from them, but the wolf took a huge chunk of Cora's flesh with it. Blood splattered to the ground. Cora huddled over her arm, trying to heal it. Regina leapt to her feet, lunged for the cloak laying several feet away, and turned, cloak in hand, to face the wolf. It stalked toward her.

Regina threw the cloak over it. The wolf snapped and growled, but it stumbled as the magic started to take hold. She jumped forward and clamped her arms around the wolf. Cloak pinned in place, the wolf weakened and fell to the ground. Regina covered the wolf fully with the cloak. Regina felt Red take its place.

"Red?"

Red groaned. Regina glanced over her shoulder; her mother was gone.

"Red, we need to get out of here." Regina pulled her to her feet.

. . .

Regina yanked Red to her feet and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, trapping Red against her side and holding her up. She wore the cloak again, and the whole world spun and lurched under her feet. They were alone in the room. Blood splattered the floor.

"What happened?" Red stumbled, falling back against Regina.

"You attacked my mother," Regina said. "What in the hell did you think you were doing?" She glared at Red. Red peered into her eyes, blinked, and gave up trying to read them.

"Dunno. G'me a min..."

Red wasn't sure how long it took them to get outside. Time blurred together at the moment, and she was vaguely aware there was a huge junk of time she missed completely. Regina helped her clamber onto her horse, and then climbed into the saddle of her own horse with the grace of a pro. Red's stomach lurched, and she leaned to the side, vomiting. Her fingers knotted in her horse's mane to help her keep her balance.

The reigns were pried from her hands. Gasping and spluttering, Red watched Regina slipped the reigns over the horse's head, gripping them in one hand. Red opened her mouth to demand her reigns back and vomited again.

Perhaps it was best if Regina lead her horse, she thought. They rode this way in silence for half an hour, Red taking deep breathes to calm her stomach and nerves, and Regina keeping a close eye out for any guards. Red didn't dare ask what would happen if Cora decided to come after them.

Red wiped her mouth on the on the back of her hand. "I take it your mother isn't invited to the wedding." She forced a small smile.

"No." Regina gave a shaky laugh. "But Maleficent might be."

Red's eyes widened. "Oh, honey, we need to have a talk about your friends."


	2. II

Red propped Regina against a tree as carefully as she could, but Regina hissed in pain as her back hit the trunk. She tried to shove Red away, but Red tightened her grip on Regina's shoulders.

"Let go," Regina spat. "I can take care of myself."

"Stop being such a baby," Red said. She reached out to touch Regina's head. Regina slapped her hand away. "I need to check on the wound. And I need to make sure you don't have a concussion."

"I said I'm fine." Regina attempted to shift away from Red but gasped in pain the second her head moved.

Red raised an eyebrow. "Yeah. I can see that." She sighed. "Look, I'm going to start a fire, and you're going to stay right here until I'm finished. Then I'm going to check your head."

As she turned to face the stream a few feet away, she heard Regina grumble. Red bit her tongue. _Don't say anything, Red, this is Regina after all._ Red ran a hand through her hair and then set about collecting several armfuls of sticks and twigs.

Half an hour and several failed attempts later, they had a small fire going. Neither one of them dared to let it get too big. It had only been a few hours since they left the mansion, and Cora could be looking for them. Maybe she was attending to whatever wounds Red had inflicted because it seemed like the wolf had taken a good bite out of her (if the blood splatter Red had seen when she came to was any indication). Regina sighed, shifting and closing her eyes.

"Do you have a cloth or something?" Red asked.

"No."

Figured. Red tore off one of her sleeves, dunked it in stream, rung it out, and then moved to sit beside Regina. "Lean forward." For a moment, Red thought Regina would refuse. Then she leaned forward, careful not to jostle her head. Red waited as Regina pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her forehead against them. Tenderly, she wiped at the blood. Regina hissed, jerking away. Red wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pinned Regina against her body.

"Relax." Red sighed. "You're as bad as Snow."

"I'm nothing like - "

"Why haven't you healed yourself?" Red frowned. "You've still got magic."

"Magic requires some amount of concentration. My head feels like it's splitting in two."

"Ah." Red set the cloth down and moved away. Regina leaned back against the tree, closing her eyes. "Don't go to sleep." Regina scoffed. "I mean it. Don't go to sleep. We still don't know if you have a concussion."

"I don't have a concussion, Miss Lucas, I assure you."

"Oh, so we're back to that then."

"You would do well to watch your tone."

"Or what?" Regina opened her mouth to answer, and Red held up a hand. "You know what? I was wrong. You're worse than Snow. You're both such babies about this stuff."

"Oh?" Regina seemed amused. "Do tell."

Red paused. Then she chuckled. "Fine." She sat down beside Regina and wrapped her arms around her legs. "We were running from a hunting party, and Snow tripped and hit her head on a rock. Had a huge gash on the side of her head. She fought with me the whole time I was trying to take care of her. God, it was so obnoxious." Red smiled. She saw Regina's lips twitch out of the corner of her eye.

"When she was fifteen, she twisted her ankle getting off a horse. I'd never heard anyone swear so much in my life," Regina said. Red bit her lip. Afraid that Regina would shut down again if she said anything, she contented herself to simply listen. Then Regina asked, "Why were you running from a hunting party?"

Red swallowed. "They were after me."

They fell silent for a minute.

Red clenched her fists. "I had just killed the boy I loved." After all, she now knew things that she was sure Regina had never wanted her to know. "Snow and I figured out it was a werewolf that was terrorizing my town, but... We thought it was Peter. He told me to chain him up so he couldn't hurt anyone. I...I told him I would stay with him throughout the night." She buried her face in her arms. After a moment, she felt an arm settle around her shoulders awkwardly.

Neither of them said anything more. After a while, Red told Regina to try to get some rest, and she woke Regina every two hours to check on her.

. . .

Regina leaned against her horse, resting her forehead against its neck. She wasn't sure how long she stayed like that until Red touched her shoulder.

"Regina? We need to go find Emma. I'm sure she's worried sick."

Regina took a deep breath. It took one day to reach the mansion her mother sometimes resided in, and it had taken them three days to get back since neither one of them dared to use the roads until they had been much closer to the castle and because Red had insisted that they stop frequently for Regina to rest. She claimed she was fine, but Red hadn't been fooled and after a few hours on horseback over bumpy ground when even the slightest jostling hurt her head, she gave up fighting. Trying to heal herself with magic only made the pain worse.

In the end, it had taken them four days to get back to castle. Being gone a day or two gathering magical ingredients for spells wasn't unusual for her, especially with Red and her impeccable tracking skills, but the extra three days meant Emma would be furious. With any luck, the guard they had finally stumbled across a day ago had properly delivered their message and that had taken the edge off of Emma's anger.

"Regina?"

Taking a deep breath, Regina stepped away from the horse. "Let's get this over with."

Regina sent a guard to tell Emma that she had returned and that she and Red would be in the dining hall. Red had proven to be a decent hunter, but the few squirrels they had scrounged up over the past four days to share between them hadn't been much.

Only once they reached the dinning room did Regina realize she hadn't taken into account how much trouble she would be in with Snow White for making Emma upset and for disappearing with her best friend.

"Where were you?" Snow White glared at Regina. "You left without telling anyone where you were going or how long you'd be gone. Emma's been worried sick about you. She cried last night, Regina! She tried not to let me know, but she was terrified you'd gotten cold feet and left!" She shoved Regina hard in her shoulder. "What's wrong with you?"

Regina's chest ached, but she kept her expression neutral. "If I left, why would I take Red with me?"

"How were we to know that Red was with you? She's always visiting back and forth between here and Granny's. You were gone for_ five days_." Snow White jabbed Regina in the chest. "You are an idiot." She shoved Regina again, seemingly for good measure.

"She really thought I'd just leave?" It wasn't what she'd meant to say, and she'd definitely never meant for her voice to crack. She despised the sympathetic look Snow gave her.

Before either of them could say anything more, Emma stormed into the room. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Regina winced. She forced her expression to remain neutral because there was no power on earth that would allow her to show anymore vulnerability in front of Snow White. "We weren't gone that long, dear."

"Screw you." Emma stopped inches in front of her, glaring. "Why didn't you tell me where you were going?"

"Why do you need to know every little detail of my whereabouts, dear?" Regina's smile had a sharp edge to it. "Afraid you can't trust me?" She inched forward, and Emma took a step back. "Are you afraid I'd just leave you and Henry?" She narrowed her eyes. She should stop, she knew she should stop, but having her fears confirmed - knowing that Emma had in fact thought she would just leave - tore at her. "Do you really think so little of me?"

Emma blinked and swallowed hard. For a moment, it seemed as though she struggled to speak. Her jaw clenched. She turned and left the room.

The doors had only just closed behind Emma when Regina's shoulders sagged, and she heard Snow choke back whatever she had been about to say. A tense moment passed in silence.

Snow took a deep breath. "Where did you go?"

Closing her eyes, Regina fought against the tears.

"We went to tell Regina's mother about the wedding," Red said in a hesitant voice. "It didn't go well."

Fingers touched the back of her head a second later, and she hissed, jerking away. "What are you doing?"

Red frowned. "Checking to see if your head is alright yet. Clearly it's not."

Snow White stepped forward, reaching out towards Regina. Regina slapped her hand away. Snow White rolled her eyes and said, "You've upset my daughter. You don't get to keep me from making sure you're alright." Regina sighed. Snow turned Regina around and felt the back of her head. The lump had gone down a bit, but it was still has tender as ever. "Oh my god, Regina. What happened?"

Regina pulled away. "My mother did."

"What did she do?"

When Regina didn't answer, Red said, "Her mother flung her against a window using magic. She hit her head pretty badly. It bled at first."

Snow White covered her mouth with her hand. "Why didn't you tell us? We could have sent some guards with you-"

"If I had told you, Emma would have wanted to come," Regina said with a frustrated growl. "I don't care what you think of me, but I would never put Emma in that kind of danger." She didn't dare admit that couldn't bear the thought of Emma seeing her so afraid and vulnerable and helpless against her own mother.

Snow White studied her for a moment. "No, you wouldn't." She sighed. "You need to go talk to Emma, Regina." Moving towards the door, she added, "I'll head off James before he can give you a piece of his mind. And after you talk to Emma, you should talk to Henry. He thought you were out getting ingredients like usual, and he was terrified something awful had happened to you."

Regina sighed, and Red patted her arm. "If you need backup, I'll be out in the courtyard watching Henry's sword lessons, okay?"

Regina nodded. "Thank you," she said in a tense voice. Those words were still hard for her to say. She didn't wait for Red to respond, setting off toward her and Emma's shared chamber.

. . .

The door creaked open. Regina slid into the room as quietly as she could, studying Emma who lay on her side on the bed with her back to Regina. "Emma?" No response. She shouldn't have expected one, but she couldn't stop the way her heart seemed to twist in her chest. She closed the door, crept over to the bed and lay down beside Emma gently. "Emma. Talk to me." Swallowing thickly, she added, "Please."

Still no answer.

Regina placed a hand on Emma's side. It didn't get slapped away, and Emma didn't move away. Regina's heart seemed to unclench a bit. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said those things." Sighing heavily, Regina shifted closer and rested her forehead against Emma's shoulder blades.

"Why didn't you tell anyone where you were going?" Emma's said, voice quiet. "You _could_ have run away as far as anyone knew."

"I only meant to be gone for two days."

Emma stiffened, and for a moment, Regina thought Emma would shove her away and yell again. Then Emma turned to face her, frowning.

"Then why were you gone a week?" She reached out, brushing a strand of hair from Regina's face and tucking it back behind Regina's ear; her fingers brushed the edge of the wound. Regina hissed, shoving Emma back instinctively and moving away. Emma grabbed Regina's wrist, holding her place. Concerned now, she sat up. She leaned over Regina. "Are you hurt?"

"It's nothing," Regina said. She started to sit up, but her head began to throb, and she sat up a bit too fast. She fell back against the bed. She bit her lip to keep from cursing.

"Screw that. I can see you're hurt, Regina. Don't lie to me. Not now." Emma's fingers hovered over the back of Regina's head for a moment. Then she cupped Regina's cheek. "What happened to you?"

Regina closed her eyes, took a deep breath and let it out. "I went to tell my mother about our wedding." She heard Emma's sharp, soft gasp. They hardly ever spoke about Regina's parents. "It didn't go well when she realized she wasn't invited." She opened her eyes and met Emma's gaze.

Emma's brows furrowed. "Define bad." Her fingers twitched against Regina's cheek like they wanted to touch the wound.

"She used her magic to throw me into a window." Regina shrugged at Emma's horrified expression. "She's done worse."

"I'm going to kill her," Emma snarled. The expression on Emma's face left no doubt in Regina's mind that Emma would follow through if Cora ever hurt her again, but Emma stroked Regina's cheek with her thumb gently. "So I take it that's how you got that nasty bump on the back of your head." Regina nodded. "Why haven't you healed it with magic?"

"Magic requires a lot of concentration, dear. It's hard to do that when your head feels like it's splitting in two." She closed her eyes again. She felt Emma settle back down beside her. "I'll get a salve from Rumpelstiltskin tomorrow."

Emma groaned. "There's no one else you could get that stuff from?"

"There's a reason he's working at the castle now, Emma. And it's not like he's the Dark One, anymore."

A snort. "He's working at the castle so we can keep an eye on him, that's why. He might not be the Dark One anymore, but he's still got magic and he's a slimy bastard."

Regina chuckled. "He's clever. That's an admirable trait."

"Yeah, well, he's too clever for his own good if you ask me. Besides, he's still the one that created the curse in the first place so you'll have to forgive me if I don't suddenly want to hold hands and sing Kumbaya."

"No one's asking you too, dear."

"How can you be friends with that guy?" Emma draped an arm over Regina's waist. "Why him of all people?"

"In case you haven't noticed, most people still aren't thrilled about me roaming free. I'll take my allies where I can get them."

"Shit." Emma sighed, then kissed the base of Regina's throat. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

"It's perfectly alright, Emma. I have you and Henry, and I'm on friendly terms with Red. It's better than I expected." Regina kissed the top of Emma's head. She felt sleep creeping up on her, suddenly exhausted from the last five days. "I love you."

Emma shifted closer. "I love you too."

Regina allowed herself to slip into sleep.

. . .

It felt like someone shoved a red hot poker into her chest. Regina screamed, hand clutching at her chest over her heart.

"Regina!" Emma. Hands grabbed at her wrists. "Regina, what's wrong?" Regina rolled away, curling into a tight ball. The door banged open and leather thudded against the stone floor. "Don't just stand there! Get help!" Footsteps running, disappearing down the hall. Cool hands pressed against her face. "Regina." Was Emma crying? "Regina, what's happening?"

Regina gasped raggedly for breath. The pain began to diminish, slowly, ever so slowly, but just enough that she could choke out, "My chest." She sucked in air. "Make it stop." Black crept in at the edge of her vision.

"Emma, what's happening?" Snow. "I heard screaming - " Footsteps, lighter than the others, drew closer to the bed. "What's wrong with her?"

"I don't know." Emma was definitely crying now. "She said her chest hurts, but I don't... Mom..."

The pain flared again. Regina jerked, screaming. Her nails bit into her flesh.

Another pair of hands grabbed hers-not Emma's hands...Snow's?-and gripped her fingers firmly, keeping them away from her skin.

Pain exploded in her chest. Regina opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out. Her vision went black for a moment, and then-abruptly-the pain stopped. Her chest ached and burned, but she could breathe again.

Regina slumped on the bed, gasping. "Emma..."

"I'm here," Emma whispered. Regina closed her eyes as Emma wiped tears from her face. "Are you...is it over?"

Regina swallowed. "For now."

She wasn't sure how long they stayed there in silence, allowing her to recover, before Regina heard someone enter the room. Someone using a cane. Regina stifled a groan.

"Well, dearie, what seems to be the problem?"

Regina pried her eyes open as Rumpelstiltskin knelt down beside the bed in front of her. He was still a man, the same as he had been in Storybrooke. It made her feel marginally better as she watched him rummage around in a large bag.

"My chest," she said simply.

"I gathered that, your Majesty. Now what_ about_ your chest?"

"It hurt." Regina's lips twitched briefly into a smirk.

Rumpelstiltskin rolled his eyes. "I never would have guessed."

Regina tensed. "I'm fine now. You can leave."

He raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"Yes."

He shrugged. "Whatever you say, your Majesty." He pulled a couple of bottles out of his bag and handed them to Emma. "These are for her head. Little Red told me she would be stopping by tomorrow, but as long as I'm here..." He pushed himself to his feet with some difficulty. "The little blue bottle is a pain killer, but since your lovely fiancé has been so uncooperative, I have no idea if it will work should this happen again."

"Go," Regina snarled.

"As you wish, your Majesty."

Once he was gone, Emma rolled Regina onto her back, forcing Regina to meet her gaze. "What happened?"

Regina was getting tired of that question. "Nothing happened, dear. I'm sure it was just a side effect from the magic my mother used." Regina shrugged Emma's hand off, feeling a twinge in her chest at the hurt look on Emma's face. She sighed. "I'm fine. Really."

"I don't know..."

"Emma," Snow said, and Regina turned to face her, having forgotten she was in the room, "it's late. Why don't you two fight this out in the morning?"

"What were you doing up anyway?" Emma asked. "You said you heard Regina screaming."

"I couldn't sleep," Snow said. At Emma's skeptical look, Snow rolled her eyes. "That happens sometimes, you know. Where people can't sleep." She stretched, stood up and added, "Now, make Regina drink the potions for her head, and then get to bed. We all need to try and get some sleep."

Regina bit her lip to keep from making a scathing comment about Snow having no right to tell her what to do. Emma nodded, handed the potions to Regina, and Regina drank them without complaint (although, she couldn't help scrunching her face in disgust at the taste).

It took fifteen minutes to get Emma settled again, and another half hour before Regina heard her breathing even out and felt her relax against Regina's body. Regina closed her eyes. She tried not to think about the pain in her chest and what it meant.

She didn't get anymore sleep after that.

. . .

James insisted on bonding with Regina, unlike Snow who was content to just be civil, and Regina couldn't figure out whether his approach was better or worse. On the plus side, Regina found she had some actual affection for him, and he was good company on a horse ride or a walk around the garden. She knew that Emma appreciated the effort they made with each other.

On the down side, Regina sometimes found James's attempts at bonding to be awkward and uncomfortable due in part to their history, and also because neither of them could figure out how to go about doing father-in-law/daughter-in-law bonding when Regina was older than him (Regina wondered if James and Emma's attempts at father/daughter bonding were just as uncomfortable due to the fact that they were the same age).

"So, Regina, have you ever hunted before?" James asked. Regina refrained from rolling her eyes, instead tilting forward so she could pat her horse's neck.

"No," she said.

James twisted to look over his shoulder. "Red? How about you?"

Red raised an eyebrow. "Remind me again who found you after you went wondering around in the forest?" She rolled her eyes. "Besides, if I couldn't, why would I ask to come? To willingly spend time in _Regina's_ company?" But her smirk was playful and her eyes shone. This time, Regina allowed herself to roll her eyes.

James chuckled. "Fair enough." He flashed Regina a grin to show he was joking. "Do either of you know how to use a bow and arrow?"

"Yes," Red said.

Regina started to say no when her chest exploded with pain. A strangled scream tore itself from her throat. The next thing she knew, she hit the ground hard. Two thuds against the ground, then arms wrapped around her body, pulling her into a sitting position, and pinned her against a solid chest.

"Regina." James. "Regina, breathe. You need to breathe."

Gasps tore from her throat. "Hurts."

"Regina, you need to tell us what hurts." James's voice was calm and strong, and Regina focused on it as she fought against the black creeping in around the edges of her vision. "Can you hear me? I need you to talk to me."

"Chest." She groaned, clutching at chest. "Heart. My heart." Tears slipped down her cheek. "Being crushed."

"Your heart feels like it's being crushed?" James asked.

"No. _Is. Is_ being - " Pain flared, and Regina screamed, thrashing in his arms. "_Is_ being crushed! Help me, please." Eyes wide, Regina locked her gaze on James. He stared at her, mouth open in disbelief. "My m - " Screaming, her body went rigid, vision dimming, and oh god, she was going to die. "My mother."

"Your mother?" He sounded bewildered. "But how could she - ?"

Red gasped. "Oh my god." Red cupped Regina's face, turning Regina's head to stare into her eyes. Regina fought not to pass out. "Regina, you said your mother ripped out Daniel's heart. I _know_ you can do that same. Does - " She saw Red swallow. "Does your mother have your heart?"

"Ye - _yes_." Regina screamed as pain exploded again. This time she couldn't fight the dark. She heard James screaming her name, felt him shaking her body, as she slipped out of consciousness.

At least this time she had said goodbye to Emma and Henry before she left.


	3. III

"Snow." James grabbed Snow's arm and tugged her away from her desk. "Come with me."

"What are you doing?" She tried to pull her arm free, but James gripped it firmly and tossed her a desperate look over his shoulder.

"Please. It's Regina. She's hurt." The look of determination that crossed Snow's face and the way she quickened her stride reminded James just why he loved her. Snow still hated Regina and some part of her probably always would, but she was willing to set it all aside - if not for Regina's sake then at least for Emma.

She didn't ask any questions until they reached Regina's room (not that Regina ever used it, but James hadn't wanted Emma to return to their room unexpectedly and find her before he and Snow could come up with a plan). As soon as she saw Regina lying still on the bed with Red sitting in a chair beside her, she spun around to face him. "What happened to her?"

"She fell off her horse," he said. "She...she said her heart was being crushed." He swallowed, struggling for better words to explain what happened, then gave up with a helpless shrug. He glanced at Red who was watching Regina. She held her hand, stroking it gently.

"What?" Snow paled. "How?"

"Her mother," Red growled from the bedside. James shivered at the dark look on Red's face as she lifted her head to look at them. "Her mother has her heart."

"How long?" Snow's gaze darted back to James.

He wracked his brain, but nothing came to mind. The whole time Regina had been screaming and thrashing in his arms and the whole way back to the castle, he had had to be calm and collected. Now that Snow was here, now that Red was no longer screaming for Regina to wake up, he felt the adrenaline rush seeping away. Exhausted, he allowed his shoulders to drop. He turned to Red for help.

Red's expression darkened further. "It didn't happen when we went to see her mother. I have a feeling it was a long time before Storybrooke..."

Thoughts swirling, James backed up until his legs hit a chair, and he fell back into it. He buried his face in his hands. "What are we going to tell Emma?"

He heard Snow take a deep breath then, "Nothing."

"What?" James said, staring at her in disbelief.

Red balked. "Are you serious?"

"Yes. She's your daughter, James. What do you think she'll do if she finds out about this?" Snow flashed him a playful smirked. "Something stupid for sure."

James eyebrows rose. "Says the one who robbed my carriage."

Snow smiled. "All things considered, I think that was an excellent decision." James allowed himself a small smile. Then Snow frowned. "Regina didn't tell anyone when she went to see her mother because she didn't want Emma to find out. While I'm still not happy about that, I could see her point..."

"Right." James rose to his feet. "So how do we get her heart back?"

They all glanced at each other blankly.

"We'll have to wait until she wakes up," Red said. "Can someone go get Rumpelstiltskin?"

. . .

Regina bolted upright, gagging. A hand clapped over her mouth, and she heard Red's voice say, "You need to swallow." With difficulty, she swallowed the potion. It burned all the way down her throat. She coughed, eyes watering.

"What the hell are you doing?" she said because it was better than saying "I'm alive?"

"Just a potion to wake you up, your Majesty."

Regina groaned. "You again."

Rumpelstiltskin smiled; Regina eyed him warily. She felt the bed dip, and she turned to see Snow sitting on the edge of the bed beside her, looking grim.

"Where does your mother keep your heart?"

Regina opened her mouth and then memories came rushing back, and she closed it again. James moved around the bed to crouch beside Red's chair and looked Regina straight in the eye.

"Please, Regina." His eyes appeared to be a bit red. With a jolt, Regina realized he actually cared. He reached out and placed his hand over hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. "We're trying to help you." Before Regina could protest, he added, "It will help Emma too."

_Cheating bastard._ Regina sighed. "Wonderland."

"Wonderland?" James asked, standing up.

"My mother is the Queen of Hearts."

Silence. Deafening silence.

"Shit," Red said. Then, "Wait. If she's a Queen in a different world, why does she care what you do?"

"If she's the mother of a Queen in this world, she will have incredible power and status in two worlds - not just one." Regina allowed that to sink in. "She believes one's projection should always be upwards. She's not going to stop just because she reaches the top in one world. She'll just add another world instead." She sighed. "I had hoped that I was free of her. I never should have gone to see her. I don't know what I was thinking..."

Snow let out a slow breath. "We need to get your heart back. Before Emma finds out."

Regina raised an eyebrow. "And how do you suggest I do that?"

"May I make a suggestion?" All heads turned to Rumpelstiltskin. Regina couldn't believe they'd forgotten he was in the room. "A Hatter would get you through to Wonderland. I'm sure Jefferson would be willing to take you through."

"Jefferson?" Regina stared in disbelief. "Jefferson wouldn't take me through again."

"Not you alone, of course, but perhaps you and the Queen?" The sly smile on his face was just begging to be blasted off, in Regina's opinion.

"I can go," James said. Regina turned to look at him, and he met her gaze. "I'll go with you. I know how to fight, and you have your magic. We should be able to get in and out with your heart before anyone can raise an alarm."

It occurred her that she should argue, but the determination on everyone's faces and the tantalizing idea of having her heart back - of being able to feel fully and to never have to worry about her mother again - were too strong. She nodded.

"Excellent," Rumpelstiltskin said. "I happen to know where you can find Mr. Jefferson and his lovely daughter."

. . .

They had dinner as a family that night, a pleasant surprise for Emma and Henry who had gotten used to switching off every night between Snow and James and then Regina. Regina knew they were even more surprised - and in Emma's case, suspicious - about the fact that Snow and Regina were being civil. Not friendly, but the tension between them had thawed slightly since that afternoon.

A knock on the door drew their attention. "Enter," Snow said.

A guard stepped into the room. "There's a visitor for...Princess Regina."

Regina raised an eyebrow. She wasn't officially a Princess yet, but the guards seemed to think that her engagement to Emma was good enough, and she wasn't a Queen anymore (she probably wouldn't be again, no matter what she had told her mother). She made a mental note to come up with a different title for the guards to address her by because Princess just didn't seem to suit her.

"Please, see them in," James said.

Regina glanced at Emma to find her watching Regina curiously. Henry watched the door intently. When the visitor entered, Regina felt like the breath had been knocked from her body.

Cora smiled, still wrapped in an elegant traveling cloak. "Hello, dear."


	4. IV

Regina jumped to her feet. "What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"Now, dear, that's no way to greet your mother," Cora said, sounding scandalized. Regina saw Emma jerk in surprise out of the corner of her eye. "The King and Queen will think I haven't taught you any manners." Her expression darkened. "Though, I suppose with your...history...it's obvious none of my lessons stuck."

Regina suppressed a shiver, but her hand flew up to her necklace, fingers curling around Daniel's ring. The next second, Emma stood beside Regina, wrapping an arm around her waist protectively. Regina heard the scrapping of chairs behind her and knew Snow and James must be standing as well.

Cora turned her gaze onto Henry. "This wonderful boy must be Henry."

"Henry," Regina said, not taking her eyes off her mother, "why don't you go find Baelfire? I know you two wanted to learn some astronomy. Why don't you two ask if Belle and Rumpelstiltskin can show you some constellations?"

Henry stood up and moved to stand on the opposite side of Regina as Emma and squeezed her hand gently. Then he wrapped his arm around her neck. He was fourteen now, and had gotten much taller so that his head now came up to Regina's shoulder. "I love you, Mom," he whispered. "It'll be okay." Regina hugged him, burying her face in his hair for a moment to hide the tears that sprang her to eyes. She smiled and pulled back. Henry hugged Emma, Snow and James and left the room.

"Why are you here, Mother?" Regina asked as soon as the door closed behind Henry.

Cora frowned. "I wanted to apologize for losing my temper. It was wrong of me. I understand we haven't always seen eye to eye, but you're my daughter, and I want to be here for you."

Regina ached, wishing those words were true.

"I want to be here to help plan the wedding," Cora continued.

Before she could say anything more or Regina could object, Snow stepped forward, a smile firmly in place. "That would be wonderful."

Emma's jaw dropped. Regina placed a hand over Emma's where it rested on her waist to silence any protest. If Cora was here, she wouldn't be in Wonderland.

"Yes," Regina said slowly. "Perhaps that would be best."

Cora's eyebrows shot up for a split second before she was smiling as warmly as she could - for a moment, Regina was almost convinced it was real - and Emma's arm tightened around Regina.

"What are you doing?" Emma hissed in her ear. "She hurt you."

"Relax, dear," Regina whispered. "I know what I'm doing. Your mother does too." She gave Emma a quick kiss on her cheek. "Trust us."

Emma wanted to fight - that much was obvious - but to Regina's relief all Emma did was give Snow a suspicious look and say, "Okay."

. . .

After three days, Emma's patience hung on by a mere thread. Although Snow and James ignored the fact that Emma and Regina were sharing a bedroom before they were actually married (and that was what Emma considered important), one biting comment about the "improper" situation the first night Cora stayed had resulted in Regina sleeping in her own room again. Emma didn't sleep that night. It hadn't seemed as though Regina slept well either judging by the faint circles under her eyes the next morning. She still wasn't sleeping well two nights later, and she tried not to think about the fact that her thoughts kept wondering back to Regina's trip and the wound she came back with.

"Please," Emma said, gripping Regina's hands tightly in her own. "Please." She had interrupted Regina and Rumpelstiltskin while they had been leaning over a cauldron studying something thick and bubbly and neon green to lead Regina to their room so they could talk alone. "Come back to our room. I can't sleep without you here." It surprised her sometimes how painful those admissions could still be. But she supposed a life time of issues couldn't all be worked out in four years. Regina was proof of that.

"You can sleep just fine. You've done it before when I've stayed up late - "

"Yeah, when I knew you would be coming in at some point. And when I wasn't worried that your mother might try to kill you in your sleep." Emma tried to make her voice sound lighter than she felt, like she was exaggerating. She failed horribly. Regina frowned, cupping Emma's cheek with her hand.

"My mother won't kill me," Regina said. She added, with a smile that didn't reach her eyes and a tone much like the one Emma had used, "Why would she jeopardize the prestige of being the mother of a Princess?" Regina cleared her throat. "Of course, it's a step down from being the mother of a Queen, but..." She trailed off, brows furrowing.

"What's wrong?" Emma asked, leaning into Regina's hand.

"I..." Regina stared passed Emma, just over her shoulder, with a strange look that seemed suspicious, confused and dazed all at once. Then she blinked and it faded as she brought her gaze back to Emma. "Nothing. It was just a ridiculous idea."

Emma knew she was lying, but she also knew that if she pushed that subject, Regina would shut the conversation down. Instead she said, "Even if your mother won't kill you, please just come back to our bed. I miss you, and I can't sleep because I can't stop worrying about you." She leaned forward, rested her forehead against Regina's shoulder and closed her eyes. Regina's arms wrapped around her back, warm and comforting, and held her close. Emma sighed contentedly. She leaned against Regina. She felt Regina kiss the top of her head.

Regina murmured, "It would be best not to upset my mother for now."

Emma frowned. "How long is she going to be here?"

Regina shrugged slightly so as not to dislodge Emma's head. "I don't know. In theory, she could live in the castle for the rest of her life." Emma tensed, opening her mouth to protest. Regina continued, "But she won't be. She has other obligations to attend to, and your mother and father are already coming up with excuses to keep her from visiting the castle."

"Good." Emma wrapped her arms around Regina's neck. Keeping her eyes closed, Emma tipped them both over onto their sides. She pressed herself against Regina's body and kissed her shoulder. Her breathing evened out, and Regina held her close, stroking her back, as she fell asleep.

. . .

Catching sight of Regina standing alone in a hallway with Cora, Red swept passed, looped her arm through Regina's and pulled her away towards the room Snow had told her they should all meet in. She forced herself not to glance at Cora; she didn't know if she would be able to resist punching her in the face if she did. Perhaps she could do that later, after they'd gotten back Regina's heart.

"So why do you wear Daniel's ring if you're marrying Emma?" Red asked. She felt Regina stiffen. Belatedly, she realized this probably wasn't the best topic to use to distract Regina from whatever cutting remarks Cora had certainly been making. "Relax. I'm not judging." Regina didn't calm down. "We're friends. Friends can tell each other these kinds of things." Slowly, Regina relaxed. They were going to have to work on Regina getting used to having friends. And Red figured she would have to work on thinking before opening her mouth around Regina.

Regina's hand came up to play with the ring around her neck. "I've only loved a few people in my life. Most of them have disappointed me. But not Daniel." She fell silent for a moment. "I don't want to forget."

Red shifted to hold Regina's hand and squeeze it. "Thank you for telling me."

"It's...nice...to have someone to talk to. Besides Emma, that is."

Red just grinned at that. She removed her hand from Regina's and slung her arm around Regina's shoulders. "I'm glad we're friends." The tentative smile that appeared on Regina's face gave Red an extra bounce in her step.

She caught sight of Snow and James nodding to them before they slipped into a side room. Red and Regina followed. The door swung shut behind them, and Red heard the heavy footsteps of guards taking up their post outside.

"I got Jefferson to agree to bring Regina, James, and me to Wonderland," Red said as they gathered in the middle of the room. "He wasn't thrilled about it, but he'll do it."

"Do you know where she keeps her hearts?" Snow asked.

"Yes," Regina said. "I know where her wall of hearts is. It should be simple to find mine if I use my magic." Her face was expressionless, but Red could feel her shoulders tense. Hesitating a second longer, she dropped her arm from around Regina's shoulders.

"Alright." James clapped his hands together. "So Regina, Red and I will retrieve her heart. Snow, do you think you can distract Cora long enough to allow us to get in and out?"

Snow rolled her eyes. "It's not like there aren't a thousand and one things still left to do for the wedding. I'm sure I'll find something to distract her with. Just act like you two are going to do some father-daughter bonding time, and I'm sure it'll be fine."

"I'll meet you two in the woods with Jefferson. I'll make sure he's where he's supposed to be," Red said. "I'm not going to let him bail on us." She bared her teeth briefly before pursing her lips together. Jefferson was twitchy, but he had good reason to be.

"Good," Snow said. "You four will need to get in and get out before anyone knows you're there." She took a deep breath. "I expect all of you to come back in one piece, you understand?"

Red nodded. "Trust us, Snow, we all want to come back in one piece."

. . .

Red leaned against a tall oak tree, arms crossed over her chest. Jefferson shuffled and sulked beside her, but he hadn't said a word since she'd gone to collect him from his house, and he'd grumbled about having to help "that bitch" again. She had snarled at him, the sound rumbling deep in her chest. She sighed, watching her horse eat grass from where she had tied its reigns to a tree a couple of yards away. Jefferson had a perfectly good reason for hating Regina, but Regina was her friend now and so was Emma. Sometimes it was hard navigating the reactions to the way Regina had been and knowing who she was now.

Red took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I know you hate Regina. I don't blame you." She heard Jefferson still beside her. She kept her eyes fixed on her horse. It wandered forward as far as the reigns would let it in search of a new patch of grass. "But we need you to trust us. Me and James. Can you do that?"

Jefferson was silent for a minute. "Yes." It sounded begrudging, but it was good enough.

Half an hour later, Regina and James showed up. They tied their horses beside Red's. As they approached the tree, Jefferson stepped forward. "Let's get this over with," he said, glaring at Regina. He dropped the hat to ground, and it spun, a purple wind rising at out of it. Red grabbed Regina's hand, James grabbed Regina's other hand and then she and James grabbed each of Jefferson's hands.

"Together," Jefferson said. He jumped, pulling them with him. The world spun, and Red thought she would be sick. With a jolt, they landed in a round room lined with strange doors. Jefferson released their hands. James dropped his hand to his side, following Jefferson. Red kept hold of Regina's hand while they approached a glass mirror. Jefferson gestured to the mirror, and James shrugged, then went through first. As he disappeared into the mirror, Regina pulled her hand from Red's.

Jefferson stepped to the side, glaring at them, and waved them toward the mirror. "After you."

"Oh no." Red nodded to Regina. Regina's eyes darted from Red to Jefferson. She gave Red a look before she went through the mirror after James. "Now you, Jefferson. I'll be right behind you."

Jefferson bared his teeth. "Do you think I'll abandon you?"

"I don't trust you," Red said, shrugging. "I think you understand the sentiment."

Jefferson studied her for a long moment. He held out his arm. "Together?"

"Together."


	5. V

"Wow." James stared in awe at the giant caterpillar sitting on the flower towering in front of them. "This place is amazing."

"Is that thing smoking pot?" Red beamed. "Hey, Regina, you think we can overthrow your mother and take this place for ourselves?"

Regina suppressed a shudder at the thought of staying in Wonderland for one second longer than necessary. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jefferson flinch, mutter under his breath and stalk off in the direction of the maze. Regina turned her attention back to James to see his hand hovering by the stem of the flower.

"Don't touch anything," Regina said. "I would hate for you get eaten by the foliage."

James dropped his hand in horror. "What?"

Red grinned and clapped her hands. "This is going to be fun." At James's incredulous look, she frowned. "What? The Enchanted Forest gets boring. This place is like a never-ending acid trip. How does that not sound like fun to you?"

Regina allowed herself a small smile. Ignoring the bickering that started up behind her, she headed after Jefferson.

. . .

It took them an hour to reach the maze. They hadn't met any guards on their way, which Regina had expected. If this trip would be anything like her last one, they would meet resistance after she had grabbed her heart.

Jefferson stopped, standing off to the side, and watched her expectantly.

Regina grabbed a stick from the side of the path, tossed it at the hedges and watched as the hedges consumed the stick.

"Holy shit," Red said.

James placed a hand on Regina's shoulder. "I see what you meant about the plant life. Do you know how to get through here?"

Regina smirked. Magic had its perks. Flinging her hand forward, she shot flames from her palm. The fire burned away the hedges in front of them for as far as they could see.

Red thumped Regina on the back. "Magic rocks."

Despite the fact that Regina hadn't expected to encounter any guards until later, the closer they got to the center of the maze without seeing any, the harder Regina's heart began to pound. It had always been a strange feeling. She could still feel her heart beating, and Emma loved laying her head on Regina's chest just to listen to it. But it wasn't in her chest. Not really.

They reached the center of the maze, and Regina stopped, staring at the building ahead of them. A hand squeezed her shoulder. Regina turned to Red, whose lips quirked upward in a brief smile.

"Where do we go from here?" Red asked.

Regina took a deep breath. "It should be in that building." She noticed Jefferson getting twitchy. "Keep an eye out for the guards. The last time we were here, they attacked us as we were leaving." She stepped forward, opened the door with her magic, and strode inside the building. She heard her heartbeat getting louder. One of the boxes glowed as she approached. Her feet felt like lead. Her breathing became shallow.

A hand slipped into hers, squeezing gently. Blinking dazedly, Regina turned to see Red giving her a small smile.

"It's okay," Red said.

Regina's gaze turned to James, who pulled the box from the wall.

"Let's get out of here," Red said, "and then we can get your heart in your chest."

Regina nodded. Red squeezed her hand once more before letting go.

"And where do you think you're going?"

"Mother," Regina said breathlessly. Her hands shook. James shoved the box into her hands and stood in front of her, drawing his sword. Red pushed Regina backwards, tossing Jefferson a meaningful look. Jefferson grabbed Regina's elbow, gripping it tight, as Red moved to stand behind James, forming a secondary line of defense.

Cora's cold eyes swept over the group. "What are you doing here?"

"We're getting her heart back." James glared at her. "Stand aside and let us leave."

Cora smiled, and Regina shivered. Jefferson tightened his grip on her elbow, appearing ready to bolt and drag her with him. He looked panicked, and Regina remembered only the same number of people could pass through the hat: if only one of them got captured, they were all stuck there.

"I don't think so," Cora said. "That - " she glanced at the box in Regina's hands " - belongs to me." Regina swallowed hard. "Put it back, and I'll allow you to leave."

James stepped forward. He leveled his sword with Cora's throat. "We're leaving with Regina's heart."

Cora smiled. She flung her hand forward. Before Regina could drop the box in her hands to throw up a shield, she was blasted off her feet. The box flew out of her grasp. She hit the ground hard. Red and James were slumped against a wall, groaning, and Jefferson sprawled out on the ground beside her, dazed. Blinking, Regina focused on her mother. Cora held the box in her hands. She popped it open, pulled out Regina's heart, and tossed the box to the side.

"I've had enough of your disobedience," she said, and Regina's world erupted in agony.

. . .

Red struggled to her feet, heart wrenching at Regina's screams. Her vision swam. James lurched forward, collapsed to his hands and knees beside Regina, groped around uselessly for his sword, unable to see from the blood and dirt in his eyes. Red lunged at Cora. Cora flicked a hand in her direction. It felt like an invisible rope wrapped around Red's middle, and she slammed against the wall of boxes, crying out, but she couldn't hear herself over the sound of Regina's screams echoing in the confined space. Cora was going to draw out killing Regina, and unless Red or James could figure something out, there wasn't a thing either of them could do about it.

Hope burst inside her as James's fingers closed around the hilt of his sword. Cora pinned him against a wall, and he dropped the sword. Red struggled back to her feet, but both times she had been thrown her head hit the wall, and her vision dimmed and spun. They failed. They had all failed, and Cora wouldn't let any of them live.

Cora squeezed Regina's heart again.

"Please!" Regina screamed. Tears streamed down her face. Her hands clutched at her chest. "I'll be good, Mother. I'll be good!"

"It's too late for that, my dear," Cora said.

Glancing around for something to use as a weapon, Red caught sight of Jefferson quietly picking up James's sword. She brought her attention back to Cora, determined not to give him away. Red leaned against the wall for support as she stumbled toward Regina.

"You bitch." Red spat the words at Cora, and Cora turned to face her. She saw Jefferson creep behind Cora. It couldn't have been more obvious that he didn't know how to use a sword, but Red could only hope that he could at least use it as a club. "What kind of mother are you? You took your daughter's own heart. You killed the man she loved. You married her off for your own gain. You were never there for her when she needed you! Hell, you're the one she needed protecting from! Who the hell do you think you - " Red choked. She couldn't breathe: it felt like a hand closed around her throat. Her vision dimmed, and then -

Cora collapsed to the ground, and Regina sobbed in relief. Red slid to the floor. Jefferson stood over Cora for a moment, looking stunned at the blood covering the blade of the sword. It looked like he had hit her head mostly with the flat edge of the blade, and they could only hope the blow had killed Cora.

"Jefferson," Red gasped.

"Right, right," Jefferson said. He snatched Regina's heart off the ground. "We need to get out of here right now."

"No shit," Red muttered. She took several deep breathes, willing her vision to clear, and then stumbled over to Regina and helped her to her feet. "The guards will be here soon. Regina, do you think you can use your magic?"

Regina nodded.

"Okay, everyone, let's get going."

Jefferson handed Regina her heart. Regina shoved it back into her chest, her hand passing smoothly through her flesh, and winced, gritting her teeth. Jefferson gripped Regina's elbow while Red stroked Regina's hand soothingly: Regina looked like she was in a lot of pain. James sheathed his sword before taking Regina's hand.

"Get us as close to the door as you can, Regina," James said. "But don't overdo it. I won't be the one to explain that to Emma."

Regina nodded again, apparently not trusting her voice. Purple smoke gathered around them, and with a lurch, Red felt her feet leave the ground. Wind howled in her ears. Her feet slammed against the ground as the smoke disappeared. She saw the glass door, about two hundred feet away. They could make it. Regina straightened up, pulled away from Red and James, and started toward the door.

They were almost there when Red heard it. Spinning around, she saw another cloud of smoke pelted towards them.

"Jefferson," Red said, "go through first." If any of them could make it to the door before Cora arrived, it would be Jefferson, and at least one of them had to make it back to inform Snow of what happened.

"I can't," he said. "We all have to go through at the same time."

But James wouldn't be able to run, Red knew, and neither would she. There was no way for all of them to reach the door before Cora arrived. Without warning, she was thrown backward, landing a foot in front of the door. Jefferson and James thudded to the ground next to her. Regina backed toward them, hands raised.

"When I say go, you go. Understood?" Regina said, voice low and menacing.

"Regina - "

"Just do it, Red," Regina snarled. Fire shot from her hands toward the smoke. It dodged, landed several yards in front of Regina and transformed into Cora. A spike of ice formed in Cora's hand. She shot it toward Regina. Throwing out her hands, Regina brought the ice to a halt in front of her. With another flick of her hands it spun around and flew back at Cora. Regina had backed up to stand just in front of Red, James and Jefferson. Cora waved a hand. The ice melted, splashing to the ground at her feet.

Red tensed as Cora summoned a fireball.

"Wait," Regina muttered under her breath. "Not yet."

Cora launched the fire through the air.

"Go!" Regina shouted. She grabbed Jefferson by the back of his shirt and leapt for the door. Red and James latched onto Jefferson, and they were all pulled through the door into the circular room. The door exploded behind them, glass flying everywhere and showering them with shards. Then, before any of them could catch their breath, the hat expelled them back into the forest.

Red landed on her back with a thud. Groaning, she sat up and looked around. Regina struggled to sit up beside her, one hand massaging her chest. Red grabbed her arm and pulled her up, then tugged Regina to lean against her side. "Can Cora follow us?"

Regina shook her head. "The Hat taps into borders between worlds. When the door was destroyed, it sent shock waves through the borders between that world and any other. In time, she may be able to come back, but it won't be for a while."

"Oh. Good." And then Red flopped back to the ground and flung an arm over her eyes. It had been a long day.

. . .

In hindsight, Regina thought, they should have known not telling Emma would end in pain and disaster.

"You did what?" Emma snarled, slamming Red against the wall.

Red chuckled nervously. "Hey, Emma, I know you're mad we didn't tell you and everything, but I think manhandling is kind of you and Regina's thing, and I don't want Regina to get any wrong ideas - " Emma glared daggers, and Red fell silent.

"I can't believe you. All of you! All of you planned this whole thing without telling me? What if you had gotten yourselves killed?" Emma pushed away from Red. Spinning around, she fixed her scowl on Regina, who forced herself not to flinch. Her newly replaced heart, however, beat so furiously against her chest, Regina worried it would give out when she'd only just gotten it back. Hoping it was just overzealous from decades away from her body, Regina reached out toward Emma.

"Emma, we couldn't tell you. We were afraid you would get hurt."

Emma slapped Regina's hand away. "You don't get to make those kinds of decisions for me. Did you ever once stop and think about how I would feel if you just disappeared and never came back. How Henry would feel?"

She had, but she had deemed that a risk worth taking over the risk that Emma would confront Cora and get hurt. Emma wouldn't see things the same way, however, and Regina found she had nothing to say.

"You're fucking kidding me." Emma rounded on Snow and James. "And you two? Really? What the hell!"

"It was our idea," Snow said, tripping over her words. "We just wanted you to be safe, Emma. We - "

"Fuck this," Emma said. She brushed past her parents and strode down the hall. Servants and guards scattered in front of her.

Regina sighed heavily.

"For what it's worth," said Henry's voice behind her, "I'm glad you have your heart back." He moved to stand beside Regina and hugged her. "Ma will come around. She'll be angry for a little while, and then she'll forgive you. She always does."

Regina smiled softly, stroking his hair. "Thank you, Henry."

. . .

Having her heart back was a strange experience. She thought she had always felt her emotions rather keenly, but having her heart back in her chest seemed to bring them into sharper focus. The ache in her chest hurt more than usual at Emma's anger, though that may have had more to do with the fact that Emma had ignored her for the past three days. Regina slept in her own room in a bed far too big and cold. Henry took it upon himself to spend as much time as possible with her outside of his lessons, and even skipped a sword lesson (his favorite lessons of the day) to go riding with her.

"Emma's stubborn, Mom," he had said. Since the moment Emma had set foot in Storybrooke, Henry insisted on calling Emma his mother. Now that she was, he seemed hesitant to refer to her that way. Regina thought he was worried about upsetting her, especially when she and Emma were fighting. "But she'll come around. In a few days, she'll realize you were only looking out for us." He smiled at her, eyes mischievous. "Besides, we both know she would have done the same thing. Give it a day or two, and she'll realize that, and then it's only a matter of time before she starts feeling like a huge hypocrite and comes crawling back and tries to apologize without apologizing. If you're lucky, you'll actually get a real apology though."

Regina laughed. "Why do you think that's what she'll do?"

"Because that's you always do." Henry had smirked, and Regina had felt a rush of affection - he got that smirk from her. "And you and Emma really are a lot alike. Sometimes it's creepy."

Sighing, Regina opened the door to her room. She got ready for bed, slipped under the covers, and was halfway asleep when she heard the door creak open. She shot up, magic leaping to her fingertips.

"Hey, it's me," Emma said. She stepped into the light, smiling sheepishly. "Jumpy?"

"Well," Regina said, lowering her hands to her sides, "considering my mother attempted to kill me a few days ago, and will surely try again in the future, I would say, yes, I am jumpy, dear."

Emma winced, her eyes looking to the floor.

Regina sighed. Lashing out was a hard habit to break, and although she had made progress, it did come out at the worst times. "I apologize. That was uncalled for."

"No, I deserved that." Emma moved forward and sat down on the edge of Regina's bed.

Regina studied her for a moment. "Why are you here?"

"I came to apologize." Emma stared at the blankets. "I would have done the same damn thing. You still don't have the right to make those kinds of decisions for me, though."

"You're right," Regina said, figuring it would be best to concede to that. "For that, I apologize."

Emma sighed, ran a hand through her hair, shook her head. "Can we just...can we just forget about the past couple of weeks and get on with all the boring crap we had to deal with before?" She leaned against Regina, who wrapped her arms around Emma and lay backwards. Emma buried her face in the crook of Regina's neck. "My mom wants me to wear a big frilly wedding dress. Supposedly the height of fashion here or something. Can you help me and my dad to convince her to let me wear something less...girly?"

Regina chuckled. "Of course, dear. How about we pull out what your father wore on his wedding day? I'm sure you'd look dashing in that."

Emma poked Regina's arm. "Shut up. I don't dress like my dad."

"Yes, you really do, dear."

"Whatever. You love me."

"Yes." Regina kissed the top of Emma's head. "I do."


End file.
